Make a Safe Transition: Security Concerns When Returning to the Office
The way we work has never been in bigger flux. Companies during these last 18 months had to provide flexible access to company data and resources, however with restrictions now being lifted these remote working practices are being removed and employees are now returning to the office environment.
For those fully transitioning back to the office, your cyber security may seem simple. We’re returning back to an environment that we know is secure, so surely there should be no problem? Actually no, even though you are returning to the office there are a number of factors to take into consideration.
But how do you start going about finding the holes in your security? By taking a look at your assets and your users to help make your transition plan.
For assets: this would include, but not be limited to, an update (or patch) of software on hardware that has been home with employees. This will also need to be done for workstations that have been sitting idle in closed offices that could now be vulnerable.
When it comes to company data, this may have been part of a non-secure home environment, exposed to unsecured personal devices. While employees’ personal devices may have been used to specifically access sensitive information. This may mean mandated password changes, scans, and endpoint detection to ensure that IP and access to the network remain safe.
There will also be concerns with any 3rd party applications that have been used to support remote working.
For users: Education will be essential before, during, and after returning to the office. Employees should be kept informed of new, adaptive cyber threats such as phishing scams. Tabs should also be kept in compliance and any gaps where further security education may be needed. Moreover, if there has been a change of staff the system will need to have an up-to-date account of the users
Even though you are planning a return to the office, with the idea that things will now return to normal, it is important to create or adapt your protocols and processes. It may even be advantageous to rework your original setups using the new methods adopted over the remote period, to help improve your productivity and your employees’ accessibility to information needed to effectively work.
While it may seem labour intensive it will provide a greater level of rigor, resilience and confidence in your risk mitigation. Plus with the right help, it may not be as difficult as you think.
Get in touch for a free health-check audit and let Nouveau help you establish your return to the office while building a better, more resilient future for your organisation.
Email hello@nouveau.co.uk or call 01189 186822 and let’s get started.
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